Carton cutter



Filed Dec. 23, 1958 INVENTOR L611??? fill/6L0 ATTORNEY Fig.3

Patented Sept. 23, 1941 UNlTED STATES PATNT OFFICE CARTON CUTTER Lansing r. Shield, Ridgewood, N. J.

Application December 23, 1938, Serial No. 247,317

Claims.

This invention relates to cutting devices adapted for use in opening boxes and cartons formed of paper, cardboard and the like and particularly to power operated means whereby cartons can be opened easily and quickly and in a neat manner.

Various types of package and carton openers are known and certain of these are power actuated forv ease in operation and speed in cutting. However, such constructions have been relatively heavy and expensive and are difficult to handle because the cutter tends to ride up on the material and has to be forced down against the carton while being guided along the line to be cut. Moreover, it is frequently difficultto start the cutting operation due to the fact that there is no opening in the carton into which holding means can be inserted to position the cutting member.

In accordance with the present invention these objections to constructions of the prior art are overcome by providing a simple, light weight and inexpensive device which preferably is power operated and which embodies means for holding the cutter against the work together with a piercing member for producing openings in the carton or box to be out so that the holding means and cutter may be properly positioned in starting the cutting operation. The piercing member preferably also serves to position the cutting member 1 during the cutting operation and may function as a guard to protect the cutter and the operator, whereas the holding means may also serve as a guard to protect the articles in the carton from injury.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a novel carton opening device which is simple in construction, economical to produce and easy touse.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carton opener with means to facilitate starting of a cutting operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a carton opener with a piercing member for forming an opening in the carton together with holding means for the cutter adapted to pass through the opening formed by the piercing member in starting a cutting operation.

These and other objects and features of the invention will appear from the following descrip. tion thereof wherein reference is made to the accompanying figures of the drawing.

In the drawing:

- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a typical cutting device embodying the present invention, and

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the device illustrated in Fig. 1 as'seen looking upward.

That form of the invention illustrated in the figures of the drawing is particularly designed for use in opening boxes and cartons formed of paper, cardboard and the like and embodies a motor 2 having a casing to which is secured a handle 4 by which the tool may be manipulated. A cutter 6 is rotated by the motor 2 and as illustrated is in the form of a disk that may be provided with cutting teeth 8, although it will be apparent that any suitable form of cutter may be employed as desired. The cutter is rotatable within a housing It secured to the motor casing and extending over and about the cutter but presenting a downwardly facing cutter opening I 2 through which the cutter projects for cutting the carton or material being operated on.

Inorder that the cutter maybe driven at the optimum speed for efiicient cutting and with sufficient power to prevent stalling while at the same time using a light, inexpensive high-speed motor it is usually desirable to provide the device with a reducing gear arrangement indicated at M and including a worm I6 driven by shaft [8 of the motor and engaging a worm wheel 20 mounted on the shaft 22 to which the cutter 8 is secured.

The motor casing is provided with a member 24 having a lower surface 26 extending about the cutter opening l2 for engagement with the upper or outer surface of the carton to be cut and to guide and position the cutter during operation. One end of the member 24 is formed with a sharpened projection 28 which serves as a piercing element to form an opening in the carton into which holding means for the cutter pass in starting a cutting operation. The member 24 thus constitutes a piercing and guiding member.

At the rear of the piercing and guiding member is located a downwardly extending fin 30 which preferably is narrower than the cutter and positioned to pass through the slot or kerf 32 formed by the cutter. The lower portion of the fin extends forward beneath the cutter and is provided on its forward end with holding means shown as a foot 34 which extends laterally of the fin beyond the slot 32 so as to prevent the cutter from riding up out of the slot. The holding means also serves as a guard to protect the contents of the carton from injuryand to protect the cutter or operator from injury when the device is not in use. The foot 34 of the holding means is of such size and shape as to'permit it to pass readily through an opening formed by the piercing member and into position beneath the 2f r edges of the material at the side of the slot formed by the cutter.

foot ,34, of the holding means.

also serves as va shield for the piercing member I so that the operator is not endangered thereby I and the piercing member is protected from inr I ury.

shown in dotted lines-in Fig. 1.

The lower surface of the piercing projection 3 28 preferably is in effect a continuation of the 1 lower surface 26 of the member 24 and is substantially parallel to the upper surface of the foot 34 so as to cooperate therewith to direct the foot serves to space the contents of the carton from the cutter and prevent injury thereof by the cutter.

The member 24 also is formed with an upper guard or positioning member 35 which extends substantially parallel with the piercing projection 28' and cooperates therewith to position the I piercing projection with respect to the surface of the box or carton as shown in dotted lines in 1 material to be out toward the cutter, whereas Fig. 1 so that the opening formed by the pierc- 1 ing member will be located in a convenient position forinsertion of the foot 34 of the holding means in starting a cutting operation. The

member 36 is therefore spaced from the piercing member 28 substantially the same distance that the surface 26 of member 24 is spaced from the Operation of the motor to start and stop the I same- -may-be controlled by a suitable switch which-may be' actuated by a switch handle 33 f or any other suitable means.

. In using the construction illustrated to open a carton the upper guard or positioning member 1 .36 -is first placed with the .lower surface thereof 1 in engagement with a surface of the carton and The, member 36 with the end of the piercing projection 28 in 7 contact with an adjacent side of the carton as The device is then forced to the left as seen in Fig. l causing the piercing projection to penetrate the materialof which the carton is formed.

' The piercing projection is then withdrawn and the surface 26 of the member 24 is placed against the material so that the cutter is positioned to engage the material above the opening formed I by the piercingmember. The trigger 38 is then 1 actuated to start the cutter and as the cutter rotates the tool ismoved against the material so as to cut into the same. The foot 34 of the holdingmeans then passes into the opening formed by the piercing member and beneath the edges of theslot formed by the cutter to prevent it I from riding up and out of the slot formed there- 1 by as it is'movedalongthe desired lines to open the carton. 7 w I It will be obvious that the cutter may be used in any other desired manner for opening boxes I or cartons and many of the features of the invention also are adapted for use when employing'the cutter on articles other than boxes and cartons. It willalso be apparent that the form and arrangement of the various elements of the combination are capable of numerous changes in form and arrangement particularly when the device is designed for cutting objects other than and cartons formed .of paper, cardboard or the like comprising a motor having a casing, a cutter rotatable by said motor, a fin carried by said casing and located behind said cutter in position to pass through a slotformed by said cutter, spaced upper and lower guards carried by said casing and 7 said fin respectively and cooperating with each other and with the cutter to position the cutter with respect to the carton and the portion thereof to be out, said lower guard extending laterally of the cutter, into position to engage'the inner surface of the carton adjacent a cut formed therein by said cutter and said upper guard terminating in a sharpened projection for piercing the material to permit passage of'the lower guard into position beneath the material adjacent said slot.

2. In a carton opener having a frame, a rotatable cutter carried by the frame and means forrotating said cutter, the combination of means for holding the cutter in engagement with the work comprising .a member positioned to engage the outer surface'of thecarton and located in front of said cutter for guiding said cutter, a holding member located below said cutter and extending laterally beyond the side thereof whereby the upper surface of said holding member will engage the inner surface of the carton at the side of the cut made by said cutter, and a piercing member carried by the opener for forming an opening in the carton through which said holding member may be passed, said pierc end and being positioned behind the cutting edge of said, disc in position to engage the inner surface of the carton on opposite sides of said disc,

and means positioned to engage the outer surface'of the carton and locatedin advance of said cutting edge to cooperate with said holding member to retain said cutting disc in engagement with the portion of the carton to be out, said means having a pointed projection thereon for piercing the carton to permit said holding member to pass into the carton and into a holding position in engagement with the inner surface thereof. v

4.,In a carton cutter having a motor and a cutting disc rotatable by said motor, the combination of a guide memberon said casing having a slot through whichthe cutting edge of said disc rotates and a freeend extending beyond the cutting edge of said disc and terminating in a piercing member for forming an opening in the'carton, a holding member positioned below and at the rear of said cutting edgeof said disc and extending beyond both sides of said disc and terminating in a free blunt end narrower than said guide member for movement through an opening formed by the piercing member and for engaging the inner surface of the carton on both sides of said disc.

5. In a carton cutter having a motor and a cutting disc rotatable by said motor the combination of means for holding said disc in engagement with the work and for preventing contact of the cutting edge of the disc with the contents of the carton, comprising a holding member located below and at the rear of the cutting edge being wider than the holding member and adapted to form an opening in the carton through,

which the holding member may be inserted and being provided with a lower surface for engaging the outer surface of the carton during a cutting operation.

LANSING P. SHIELD. 

